University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Illinois
Gophers Match Program-Best Streak With Win
3/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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March 21, 2015
URBANA, Ill. - The No. 15 Minnesota softball team improved to 26-4 on the season with a 2-0 record in the Big Ten by defeating Illinois, 11-1, in a five-inning, run-rule decision Saturday afternoon. The victory gave the Gophers their 12th win in a row, matching the school's longest streak ever.
The Maroon and Gold has had four previous 12-game win streaks, last accomplishing the feat between March 17 and Match 28, 2000.
As was the case in its win Friday night, Minnesota used a Tyler Walker home run to get on the board. With Taylor LeMay and Paige Palkovich on base in the second inning, Walker hit her fifth home run in her last three games to give the Gophers a 3-0 lead.
Walker's long ball was the 41st of her career.
Minnesota broke the game open with eight runs in the third.
After a bases-loaded wild pitch scored Kaitlyn Richardson, Erica Meyer blasted a three-run home run to further cushion the Gophers' lead. Richardson came to bat again in the inning with the bases loaded and delivered the team's third grand slam of the season to make it 11-0.
Richardson and Walker are now tied for the team lead in home runs with eight and runs batted in with 35.
Illinois got on the board with a solo home run by Carly Thomas in the fifth, but Minnesota closed out the game without conceding another run.
Sara Groenewegen, who went 3-for-3 at the plate, earned her 17th win of the season in the circle, striking out five in three innings of work. Kylie Stober finished the game off by tossing two perfect innings in the first-career conference appearance.
The game was the shortest of the year for the Maroon and Gold at one hour, 33 minutes. It was also the team's 10th run-rule win.
The Gophers wrap up their first week of conference action Sunday at Illinois at noon. They will travel to Nebraska next week before opening their home slate with a series against No. 4 Michigan.
